


Maybe Some Old Lonesome Song Will Take You by Surprise

by whispered_story



Category: Supernatural RPF
Genre: Alternate Universe, Community: spn_meanttobe, Fluff, Friends With Benefits, M/M, Schmoop, minor Jared/Stephen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-05-15
Updated: 2016-05-15
Packaged: 2018-06-08 15:15:25
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 16,482
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6860293
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/whispered_story/pseuds/whispered_story
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Jared's life is great—until his boyfriend cheats on him and breaks his heart. He promises himself he's done with men for a while, but then Jensen moves in next door and he's impossible to resist.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Maybe Some Old Lonesome Song Will Take You by Surprise

**Author's Note:**

> written for the [spn_meanttobe](http://spn-meanttobe.livejournal.com) prompt:  
> At twenty-two years old, Sydney is enjoying a great life: She’s in college, working a steady job, in love with her wonderful boyfriend, Hunter, and rooming with her best friend, Tori. But everything changes when she discovers that Hunter is cheating on her—and she’s forced to decide what her next move should be.  
> Soon, Sydney finds herself captivated by her mysterious and attractive neighbor, Ridge. She can't take her eyes off him or stop listening to the passionate way he plays his guitar every evening out on his balcony. And there’s something about Sydney that Ridge can’t ignore, either. They soon find themselves needing each other in more ways than one.
> 
> beta'd by the amazing [dancing_adrift](http://archiveofourown.org/users/Dancing_Adrift/pseuds/Dancing_Adrift)!
> 
> Title taken from Kris Kristofferson's "Stranger".

Jared is pretty sure he's walking on air as he leaves the office.

Jeffrey Dean Morgan— _Jeffrey Dean fucking Morgan_ —just asked him if he wants to come work at his newspaper full-time after he graduates the following summer. Jared still isn't sure he isn't dreaming. During his junior year at NYU, Jeff—as Jared gets to call him as of this summer—guest lectured at the university and Jared has pretty much hero-worshiped the guy ever since. He's a very big part of the reason why Jared eventually decided to major in journalism in the end. Just getting to intern for him during the summer was a dream come true, and the part-time job he got offered afterward had him over the moon. This? This beats both of those things by miles. It's more than Jared ever dared to hope for.

He's tempted to pull out his cellphone the moment he steps out onto the sidewalk. It's a gray fall day, a light rain falling down. Jared hunches his shoulders and curls his hand around his cell in the pocket of his jacket. He thinks about it for a moment—who to call first to share the news with—his mother, his boyfriend, or Gen?—and then decides to save it for later. For a few more moments, he wants to bask in the feeling, keep it his little secret before he shares it with everyone.

Smiling, Jared starts walking toward the nearest subway station.

Instead of going straight home though, he makes a little detour to his favorite bakery. Genevieve and he discovered it their sophomore year when they got lost looking for a secondhand store that a girl from Genevieve's theater program had been gushing about and Genevieve just _had_ to check out.

He has to change subways once and walk quite a bit, so he's soaked by the time he gets to the bakery, but Jared doesn't care. Today, nothing can dampen his mood.

He buys a bunch of different cupcakes and a coffee to go and starts making his way back. He's almost at the subway station again when he sees a couple across the street. It's two guys and they're all but making out. One of them, the taller one, reminds him of his own boyfriend and the thought puts a smile on his face. Not that Stephen would ever be caught dead kissing Jared like that in public, because as a lawyer he has a reputation to uphold. But he has about the same height and hair color and wears a suit like Stephen always does. Jared grins.

And then the couple pulls apart and Jared can see the taller guy's profile—that upturn of his lips that Jared is so familiar with, the shape of his nose, the crinkles around the corner of his eye. The other guy, who is shorter and quite a lot younger, is grinning up at him adoringly and Jared feels sick.

The coffee slips from his hand and lands on the ground with a loud splash, followed by a startled curse from Jared. It's loud enough to catch the attention of the two guys.

Stephen looks right at him and turns pale.

+

"Men are dicks," Jared says, voice already a little slurred. He pours tequila into the three empty shot glasses on the kitchen counter and grabs his before he's even set the bottle back down.

"I'll drink to that," Genevieve says and raises her own glass.

"Not all men," Chad protests, but he chucks the shot back too.

"No. All men," Genevieve says firmly, glaring at him.

"Yup," Jared agrees.

"Women can be dicks too," Chad tries. Genevieve snorts, and Jared shakes his head sadly.

"Men are cheating scumbags," he reinforces. "I _wish_ I was into girls. I bet a girl wouldn't have treated me like _garbage_ and cheated on me."

Genevieve nods.

"No. No, they wouldn't have. Because they recognize a good thing when they see it," she says. "I wish I was into girls, too."

"Okay, A) that'd be really hot," Chad starts and it earns him a slap over the head from Genevieve. "And B) dude, what's stopping you? Jay, you dated girls in high school. If men are so horrible, don't date them."

"Vaginas are gross," Jared replies and picks up the bottle of tequila once more. "No offense to you, Gen. I'm sure yours is awesome."

"Damn right it is!"

"But I like dicks," Jared continues. "I _really_ like dicks."

Genevieve pats his arm.

"You'll find a new guy. And if not, you can still get plenty of dicks without any strings attached."

Jared pours them a new round of shots and shrugs.

"I like strings, too," he mumbles.

"Oh honey."

"I thought he was it, you know? I thought we were going to build a life together and stuff," Jared says and then snorts out a bitter laugh. "I thought he was going to propose to me soon."

"What?" Genevieve asks. She grabs her shot glass and downs the shot, before waving at Jared to pour her another.

"Well, we were together for a while and I'm graduating next year and I just… it seemed like the next step."

"I always kinda disliked the guy," Genevieve admits, giving Jared an almost apologetic look. Jared stares at her in surprise.

"What?"

Chad huffs.

"Jared, the guy was kinda douchey. None of us really _liked_ him. We tolerated him for your sake."

"But you never said anything!"

"You were happy with him," Genevieve points out. "I liked seeing you happy and that was more important than my personal feelings about him. And I thought maybe you just knew him differently than we did… he never really hung out with us much."

"'Cause he was way too grown-up for us college kids," Chad mutters.

Jared huffs.

"Well, next time tell me when I'm dating an asshole and it's obviously not going to work out anyway," he says. "Before I get invested in him and shit."

Genevieve puts her hand over her heart.

"Promise," she agrees, and Chad nods.

"Oh god, I feel like such an idiot now," Jared groans and repeats his words from earlier, tone mocking, "' _I thought he was going to propose to me soon_ '. I should have known better, right? I'm so _stupid_."

"Hey," Genevieve says softly. "We've all been there. Dated an idiot without realizing it."

She pats his arm once more and then gets up, a little unsteady on her legs, and goes to grab three beers from the fridge.

"You'll find someone way more awesome. Better looking, smarter, nicer, better in bed," she says and puts a bottle down in front of Jared.

Jared nods and tips the bottle back, emptying half of it in one go while Chad pours them another round of shots.

"He wasn't even _that_ good in bed," he says, putting his bottle down.

"No?" Chad asks, his interest clearly piqued, and Genevieve grins. Jared realizes they really must have hated Stephen.

"Do tell," Genevieve encourages.

"Well," Jared starts, "he was okay. It's not like I didn't like it. It's just… remember Tom from my dorms, freshman year?"

Both Genevieve and Chad nod.

"Way better," Jared says. "Waaaay better. God, it was so good. And Matt was better too."

"Mattie," Genevieve says with a sigh. "I loved him. He was a great guy."

"Yeah," Jared agrees, nodding a little sadly. Matt, the guy he'd dated before he met Stephen, had been great. They just hadn't been really in love—Jared really wanted a boyfriend and Matt had wanted to get over his ex, and they'd liked each other enough to try dating, but neither of them had really had deep feelings for the other.

Genevieve suddenly snorts, the sound turning into laughter.

"Oh man, I just can't believe Stephen wasn't really good in bed," she says. "He walked around like he was the _greatest_."

Jared grins.

"Yeah, he wasn't. Just… average. He got the job done, but it was never really mind-blowing," he says, shaking his head to himself. It makes his head spin a little so he stops. "His dick was kinda meh, too."

"Meh?" Genevieve repeats with a shriek, laughing.

Jared licks his lips and pulls one of the shot glasses closer.

"Hmm, could have been bigger," he says. Genevieve puts her head on the counter, laughing, while Chad groans.

"I need more alcohol for this if you're going to start describing what his dick was like," he complains.

+

Jared wakes up with a splitting headache, which is not being helped by the sound of hammering resonating through the wall from their neighbor's apartment.

Jared turns over onto his stomach and buries his face in the pillow. His stomach rolls, his head pounding in rhythm with the noises coming from next door.

"Oh my god," he mumbles, voice croaking. "Shut up. Please just shut up."

The sounds continue. Jared tries to focus on breathing. Eventually he drifts, dozing… and then the drilling starts.

Jared groans.

"I hate you," he mutters, glaring at the wall as if their neighbor will see it. Slowly, he gets out of bed—crawls, really—trying hard not to make any sudden movements that will upset his head or stomach.

He stumbles out of his room and into the kitchen and living area of the apartment. The sounds from their neighbor are a lot more muted here, thankfully.

Genevieve is sitting slumped over at the counter, a mug of coffee by her elbow. She lifts her head a little, eyes red and her dark hair a mess.

"I hate life," she croaks.

Jared nods and goes to pour himself some coffee. The painkillers are already out on the counter and he takes a few, washing them down with a small mouthful of coffee as he takes place next to Genevieve.

"Chad?" he asks.

"Was already gone when I got up. He left a note," Genevieve mumbles. "It sounded _cheerful_."

"Fucker never gets a hangover," Jared says sullenly. He winces when there's a particularly loud bang coming from somewhere in the hallway. "Alright, what the fuck is going on there?"

"We're getting a new neighbor," Genevieve reminds him. "Guess—they're moving in today."

"Huh," Jared says. He picks up his coffee, takes a careful sip—not too much at once because he doubts his stomach could handle that just yet—and frowns. "They're being fucking loud, fucking assholes."

Genevieve snorts and pats his arm.

"Yeah, they could really take their poor neighbors who had way too much tequila last night into consideration."

"Exactly," Jared agrees and rubs his temple. "I feel like shit."

"Hmm. Yeah. I think I'm going back to bed," Genevieve says. Jared gives her his best puppy eyes.

"It's too loud in my room," he says. "'Cause of the asshole neighbors."

Genevieve sighs and holds out her hand to him.

"Just don't try to cuddle me or I'll puke on you," she warns. It's a compromise Jared can live with.

+

On Sunday night, Jared is lying in his bed, the window cracked open. Genevieve tried talking him into watching a movie, but he hadn't been in the right mood to hang out with her. It's been a weird weekend. While he was too hungover for most of Saturday, he's been a little off-kilter today, switching back and forth between anger and sadness.

Even realizing that his relationship with Stephen had been a lie, that the guy is a cheating asshole, doesn't stop him from feeling sad about the fact that it's over. Stephen was his first serious boyfriend, the first guy he loved, and Jared honestly thought he'd lucked out and found the guy he was going to settle down with this early on in his life. Stephen had made him feel things no guy before ever had. When Jared started college, he threw himself at the first guy that showed some interest, wanting to experience what it was like to be with someone the way most of his straight friends already had in high school—it ended in a very awkward one-night stand and a first time that could have been better. Then there'd been Tom, then Matt, and he hadn't really felt anything for either of them that was more than physical attraction and a small crush. And then there'd been Stephen—older, more mature, sophisticated Stephen, who had swept Jared off his feet.

Jared's only now starting to see that things hadn't been as great as he thought, as he'd made himself believe they'd been, but he'd stilled loved the guy.

He sniffs, wiping tears from his cheek and turns onto his side to rub his wet face into his pillow. He feels like an idiot now for falling for Stephen's bullshit, for not seeing him for who he really was the way his friends had.

And he feels like an even bigger idiot because it hurts. It hurts that Stephen cheated, but it also hurts that it's over, that he won't get to see and kiss Stephen ever again.

He wipes his eyes again, trying to brush the tears away before they can really fall. If they don't fall, it's almost like he's not really crying and god knows Stephen doesn't deserve to be cried over.

His train of thought is interrupted by a sound. A guitar being strummed. The music is coming from the open window, and Jared looks at it, momentarily distracted as he strains to listen to the noises. It must be the new neighbor, whose balcony starts right next to Jared's window, looking out onto the courtyard.

At first, whoever is playing is just messing around a little, but then they settle on a melody, one Jared recognizes after just a few seconds. And then the singing sets in. It's a guy, his voice deep and smooth, quietly singing the words to "I'm a Long Way From Home". Jared hasn't heard the song in a long time; the last time he listened to it was probably some time back home in Texas. His dad has every Waylon Jennings CD ever recorded, carefully organized, and Jared used to borrow them and listen to them on repeat, memorizing the words. It makes his chest constrict painfully, instantly making think of home.

He lies in his bed, listening, and it's not until the song is over that Jared realizes he's barely been breathing. He sucks in a deep breath, shuddering, and a hot tear slides down his cheek. He waits for the next song, expecting something different this time, but when the guy starts playing another song after a small break, it's another country song: Willie Nelson's "Crazy".

Jared didn't grow up listening to just country songs. He preferred rock, but it's country songs that always really got to him. It's the music his parents listened to, the music he grew up with. It's songs that are playing in bars in Texas, that every guy Jared knows back home can sing along to, and when Jared moved to New York for college, he started to listen to country songs non-stop just to feel a little closer to home.

He's not sure when he stopped doing that. Maybe when people started teasingly noticing his Texas accent, or maybe when he started dating Stephen, who made it abundantly clear that he wasn't looking for a country hick. "We are more sophisticated here, Jared. I want to make it big as a lawyer, you understand that, right?" he told Jared once, a couple months into their relationship. Jared will never forget, because Stephen had taken him out to restaurant that day, one that wouldn't have looked to kindly on people dressing like Jared did so Stephen had picked out his outfit. Just thinking about it now makes him flush with embarrassment, the way he did back then when Stephen pointed out what was wrong with Jared's style, or lack thereof.

Fuck him, Jared thinks. He sits up and carefully opens the window completely, so he can hear the music coming from next door more clearly. He falls asleep listening to his neighbor play song after song.

+

Jared gets up on Monday morning feeling motivated. It's a new week and it feels like a new beginning.

Before he goes on a run, like he does almost every morning, he turns on his laptop and opens iTunes to make a new playlist filled with country songs. Because screw everyone else, and screw Stephen most of all—Jared is sick of letting others tell him how he's supposed to act and talk and dress and what he's supposed to like.

Most of the songs aren't the best to run to, but there are some that work fine and as his feet hit the pavement he feels invigorated.

When he returns to the apartment, sweaty and panting, Genevieve is in the kitchen, making coffee.

"You look chipper," she says when Jared wishes her a good morning.

"Had a good run," Jared says. "With my good friends, Johnny and Waylon and Willie and Marty."

"With who now?" Genevieve asks. Jared laughs and holds up his iPod.

"Okay, weirdo," Genevieve says, rolling her eyes. She pours coffee into two mugs and holds one out to Jared. "Just stand a few feet away from me please. You stink."

"I smell awesome. Manly," Jared declares and sniffs at his armpits. He barely manages to hold in a cough and Genevieve cackles.

+

Jared wears his belt with the big-ass Texas buckle to class that day. It'd been buried in the back of his closet for a couple of years now, and it feels good to get it back out again, like a big ‘fuck you' to Stephen. He gets a few amused looks, but he doesn't mind, and one guy passes him on campus and yells "Go Texas!" loud enough to make people turn their heads.

Jared has to go into work in the afternoon and drop something off, and of course Jeffrey Dean Morgan catches him in the hallway. His gaze drops to Jared's belt buckle for a second and Jared flushes, but Jeff quirks his eyebrow and grins.

"Nice," he mutters. "Remind me to take you to this bar on the other side of town sometime, kiddo."

"What?" Jared asks, confused.

Jeff shrugs.

"All my friends from the south claim it's _almost_ like a bar back home. I think you'd like it," he says.

"Okay," Jared stammers.

+

Jared's good mood lasts until Tuesday evening. Then he sits on the couch with Genevieve, crying and eating ice cream.

"I hate this," he mutters.

Genevieve sighs.

"It's not something you get over in a couple of days. Remember when Jordan and I broke up? I was a mess for weeks."

Jared groans.

"I can't do this for weeks," he says and wipes at his eyes angrily. "I was fine yesterday."

"Give it time," Genevieve says and when Jared curls up against her, his head resting on her shoulders, she starts carding her fingers through his hair.

"He's an asshole. I hate that I'm crying over an asshole. He doesn't deserve this."

"No, he doesn't," she agrees. "But look at it this way: you're crying for yourself not him. Because you were invested in this relationship and you had hopes and dreams for the two of you. He hurt you, Jay, and the fact that you're upset doesn't make him any less of an undeserving douche."

Jared sniffles and nods. He's quiet for a moment, hot tears running down his cheeks.

"I didn't deserve to be cheated on," he finally mumbles.

"Hell no. Nobody does, but you especially," Genevieve says and kisses his temple. "You'll move on, find someone better."

+

Unfortunately, Stephen doesn't seem to get that there's no going back. It's easy to ignore the texts he sends at first, but then he starts calling incessantly. At first Jared rejects the calls, then he picks up and tells Stephen that he doesn't want to talk to him ever again before hanging up without letting him answer. Stephen keeps calling, leaving voice mails that range from apologetic to cajoling to angry, so Jared finally blocks his number. Stephen starts calling from other phones, and Jared seriously starts considering getting a new number.

It's a grueling week with highs and lows. The only thing keeping Jared sane is Genevieve, and oddly enough, their new neighbor. Twice more he plays guitar outside on his balcony in the evening. Once he only manages a couple of songs before his phone rings and Jared feels weird listening in on a private conversation so he quietly closes his window again. On Thursday night though, he plays guitar for a good hour, sometimes full songs and sometimes bits and pieces. A lot of it is country music and Jared lies in bed and listens, letting the music wash over him. It makes him feel homesick but at the same time, the music makes him feel closer to home than he has in a while.

+

On Saturday, Stephen shows up at the apartment.

Jared is playing video games on the couch and Genevieve is painting her nails while they're dissecting a paper she had to read for a class that week. A loud knock on the door interrupts them.

"Are you expecting anyone?" Genevieve asks. Jared shakes his head.

"Maybe it's the neighbors or something.” Genevieve looks at her nails, blows on them, and apparently decides they're dry enough because she gets up and goes to open the door. Jared pauses his game to listen.

"The fuck do you want?" Jared hears Genevieve's voice as the door is opened.

"I want to talk to Jared." Stephen. Jared freezes, his heart squeezing painfully. He knows Stephen can't see him from the open doorway, but he still shrinks in on himself.

"No."

"Let me in, Genevieve."

"No," Genevieve repeats, her voice steel. Jared is going to buy her a gift basket. Or alcohol, lots of it. "He doesn't want to talk to you so just fuck off, okay? And stop calling him."

"What are you? His spokesperson?" Stephen sneers, and Jared never realized how ugly he can sound. "It's none of your fucking business."

"Yes, it is. Because he's my best friend, you asshole, and he _doesn't_ want to talk to you."

"He can tell me himself."

"He has!" Genevieve snaps. "And now I'm telling you again. He doesn't want to see you or talk to you, you cheating scumbag. So leave!"

"Let me in. This is the last time I'm telling you," Stephen replies and god, Jared really was dating a bastard. He's about to get up and step in, the sick feeling in his stomach be damned, when he hears another voice.

"She told you to leave, man." It's smooth and deep, and Jared instantly recognizes it as their neighbor's voice.

"Who the fuck are you?" Stephen asks.

"The guy who is personally going to escort you outside if you don't leave right now. You're causing a racket and you're not doing yourself any favors," the guy replies calmly. "Her friend obviously doesn't want to see you."

"Fine. Tell Jared I'll come back another time or to pick up his fucking phone," Stephen says. Jared has to strain to hear the words, Stephen's voice already sounding muffled and further away. Jared breathes a sigh of relief.

"Leave him alone, Stephen!" Genevieve yells.

Jared runs a hand over his face and listens to Genevieve talk to their neighbor for a moment longer, thanking him. Their voices are quieter and Jared doesn't bother listening. Instead he turns his game back on and focuses on that.

He looks up when their front door clicks shut and Genevieve comes back in. She looks at him with wide eyes, opens her mouth into a perfectly shaped 'o' and presses her hand to her chest.

"Oh my god," she says, drawing the words out.

"What?"

"That was our new neighbor."

"Yeah. I assumed," Jared says.

"Jared. Have you seen him yet?" Genevieve asks. "He's like the hottest guy I have ever laid eyes on. By far. Nobody else even comes close."

"Gee, thanks," Jared mumbles.

"Hey, you're hot. But as my best friend you don't count, because it'd be weird if I fantasized about you while I masturbated," Genevieve says and smirks, plopping back down onto the couch.

"Ew. Ewww," Jared groans, letting his controller drop. "Don't even joke about that. Gross."

Genevieve laughs.

"See, I'm doing you a favor by thinking about the hot neighbor instead. And I _will_ ," she says. "And he seems really nice and sweet, too. Seriously, I'm going to have to find out what the catch is or he'll ruin me for all men."

"He's loud," Jared mumbles. He pauses his game again, accepting that he's not going to be able to focus on it if Genevieve is going to keep talking about their, apparently very hot, neighbor.

"He was moving, that can't be held against him," Genevieve points out.

"He plays guitar and sings out on his balcony all the time," Jared replies smugly. "That's rude. You can thank me for saving you from being ruined for all men."

"He _plays guitar_?" Genevieve asks. She pulls her legs up onto the couch and looks at Jared curiously. "Is he good?"

"Maybe," Jared begrudgingly admits. "Still, he likes doing it in the evening when I'm going to bed."

"Well, I'm sure if you told him he'd stop. He probably doesn't realize you can hear him in the bedroom," Genevieve points out. "He really did seem like a really nice guy. If you don't want to, I can go talk to him. It's no big deal."

"No, he… he sounds real good," Jared admits.

Genevieve cocks her head and her lips lift up into one of those knowing grins Jared hates, because it usually means she's going to say something he doesn't want to hear.

"You like it," she says gleefully. "Jared Padalecki, do you have a crush on Jensen?"

"Who?"

"The hot neighbor," Genevieve clarifies, giving Jared a look that clearly says he's stupid.

"No. Of course not! In case you forgot, I just got cheated on and broke up with my boyfriend," Jared replies, crossing his arms over his chest. "I'm not looking for anything new… ever."

Genevieve rests her hand on Jared's arm.

"Baby, you'll find someone. Someone great. And I'm not saying you have to start looking right now, but maybe a little fun with a hot guy… "

"You don't even know if he's into guys, so stop trying to play matchmaker," Jared says, shaking his head. "Please, Gen."

"Fine."

She looks a little miffed though, and Jared sighs.

"He sings country songs, you know," he says quietly. Genevieve's expression softens.

"Oh honey," she murmurs, and scoots closer. She pats his arm and rests her head on Jared's shoulder.

+

Jared makes it through the weekend, but he's glad when Monday comes around because classes and work are a good distraction. He calls his mother twice that week, and he cries over the phone to her once; he has some more ice cream and gets hugs from Genevieve and a bottle of tequila from Chad on Wednesday that Jared then has to carry around for the rest of the day until he gets home.

It's the same day Genevieve gets into a screaming match with Stephen over the phone when he calls a few more times and she runs out of patience. They go downtown the next day and Jared finally changes his number.

To celebrate—even though Jared isn't sure getting a new number to get rid of your obsessive asshole ex is a reason to celebrate—he and Genevieve cook dinner together and share a bottle of wine.

"Were you really in love with him?" Genevieve asks as she stirs the pasta sauce. "I mean, looking back at it now?"

"We were together for almost two and a half years," Jared says and tops their glasses off again.

"Yeah, but… you're a great guy, Jared. You have so much to offer and I guess I don't really get what you saw in him. I mean, he was okay and your relationship wasn't horrible, but were you really getting what you wanted?"

Jared shrugs.

"Relationships are about making compromises."

"No. Sometimes, sure. But not about everything. There are some things you need or want and if you don't get it from your partner, you shouldn't compromise. You should look for someone who gives you those things."

"Stephen was… charming and classy and ambitious," Jared tries. Now that he knows how much Genevieve really didn't like Stephen, he can kinda see why. He knows the guy wasn't perfect, the way they ended is a testament to that after all. But he'd had some good qualities too and Jared had been with him for a reason. 

"He made you feel bad about yourself," Genevieve says and looks pointedly at Jared's crotch. Jared is confused for a second, a little insulted even, but then he looks down at himself and sees the Texas belt buckle. He hadn't even realized Genevieve had noticed.

"He's a lawyer, Gen. There's an… image that comes with that. He was expected to be a certain way, for his partner to be a certain way, and I couldn't walk about looking like a hick from Texas."

"Bullshit," Genevieve says and turns the heat of the stove down. "If you love someone, you accept them the way they are and you don't try to change them. He tried to _change_ you."

"Well, I guess I let myself be changed then," Jared replies bitterly.

Genevieve grimaces and grabs her glass, taking a long sip.

"Yeah, a little maybe," she admits. "Not anymore though, right?"

Jared picks his own glass up again and sighs.

"No, not anymore," he agrees. "You're right, maybe I did compromise too much, change myself to be what he wanted. But I just… I wanted to make it work. He was older and was already starting to be successful in his job when we met, so I felt like I had to fit in with his lifestyle."

"It takes two, though. You can't just have one person making concessions and trying to make a relationship work."

"Yeah. I thought there _were_ two. That we were on the same page. I didn't realize I was the only one really trying to make this work while he was fucking around on me."

"You deserve better."

"You know, I think I agree."

Genevieve grins and holds up her glass until Jared toasts her.

"Good," she says. Jared takes a sip.

+

Jared has just gotten comfortable in his bed with a book when the first notes of a song tinkle in from outside. He puts his book back down, closes his eyes and listens for a few moments.

Then he quietly slides out from under the covers and tiptoes out of his room.

Genevieve is still awake, sitting on her bed with her laptop.

"What's up?" she asks when Jared sticks his head through the half-open door.

"Hot neighbor. I mean...uh, Jason?"

"Jensen," Genevieve corrects.

"Yeah. Jensen. He's playing again," Jared says and Genevieve pushes her laptop away and jumps off the bed.

"You gotta be quiet," Jared reminds her as they walk back to his room. Genevieve rolls her eyes.

"I'm not an idiot," she mumbles. Jared puts a finger over his lips and shushes her exaggeratedly. Then he gets on his bed, patting the space next to him. Outside, Jensen is still playing guitar, picking away at notes that sound vaguely familiar.

Genevieve lies down next to Jared. For a while, Jensen just plays around, but then he settles on a melody and starts singing softly. Very quietly, Jared hums along to the words of "My Heroes Have Always Been Cowboys".

Genevieve puts her head onto his chest.

"He's really good," she whispers.

Jared slides his arm around her.

"Yeah, he is," he admits.

+

The next day, Jared meets Jensen for the first time. He's coming home from classes and work, looking through a small stack of mail he got on his way in and almost runs into a guy in the hallway.

"Shit, sorry," Jared mutters, looking up to meet green eyes and an amused smile. There are only four apartments on their floor and since Jared has never seen this guy before and he's really hot, he assumes this must be Jensen.

"Hey. No problem. You barely even touched me." The voice, even after just a few weeks, is startlingly familiar.

"Still, I, uh, should watch where I'm going," Jared fumbles out. Jensen is so close, he can make out every single feature on his face—the long lashes, the freckles on his skin, the small lines around his eyes. Jared flushes. "I'm kinda a klutz. So, you know, sorry again."

"It's fine, man," Jensen replies, shaking his head. And then he holds out his hand. "I don't think we've met, by the way. I'm Jensen. I just moved in here recently."

Jared takes the hand and tries not to focus on how warm and strong it feels.

"I'm Jared."

"Jared. The guy with the cheating ex, right?" Jensen says, then grimaces. "Sorry, I shouldn't have said that. You probably don't want to be reminded of him."

"Not exactly, no," Jared agrees. "But it's fine. You're the knight in shining armor who stepped in and helped Gen out, so I kinda owe you."

Jensen waves him off.

"That was nothing. He was being loud and rude, and I figured stepping in was better than having someone call the cops."

Jared snorts.

"I think Gen was about to," he admits.

"Yeah," Jensen says and grins. It's followed by a moment of silence, that awkwardness that comes from chatting with a stranger.

"So, uh, you sing, huh?" Jared asks, just to fill the silence, and then wants to facepalm. Jensen looks surprised.

"How do you know that?"

Jared rubs the back of his neck sheepishly.

"I can kinda hear you when you play outside. My bedroom is right next door."

"Oh shit, man. I'm sorry. I didn't know," Jensen apologizes. "I should have thought of that. I'm such an ass."

"No. No, it's okay. It's _nice_ ," Jared quickly replies, because he honestly doesn't want Jensen to stop. "Kinda reminds me of home."

Jensen looks at him, head cocked a little to the side and a small smile spreads over his face.

"I thought I heard a bit of a Southern accent there."

Jared blushes and shrugs. 

"Can't quite get rid of it," he admits.

"Well, don't. It suits you," Jensen says, and something on Jared's face must give away that the words don't quite make him happy, because he adds, "Hey, that's a compliment."

"Is it?" Jared asks, then sighs. "Sorry. Just… been called a hick once or twice out here."

"Yeah, I know what you mean," Jensen agrees. "But I mean it. I like your accent."

"Thanks," Jared says. There's another small silence and he's trying to come up with something to say when Jensen clears his throat.

"I gotta go. Got some errands to run," he says. "But it was really nice to meet you, Jared. And just come knocking if you ever get tired of hearing me play music on the balcony, okay?"

"Will do," Jared says and gives a small, awkward wave with his free hand. "So, bye. See you around."

"Yeah, see you," Jensen says and brushes past Jared with a smile. Jared forces himself to get moving too, though he's very tempted to stay in the hallway and look after Jensen's retreating back.

+

"Jared!" Genevieve calls out from somewhere in the living room the next evening. Jared is lounging on his bed, half-heartedly finishing a reading assignment for one of his classes.

"What?" he yells, not looking up from the paragraph he's already read three times. He rubs his eyes, ready to give up.

"We have a visitor," Genevieve's reply comes. Jared frowns and looks at his alarm clock. It's almost eight.

He sighs and gets up from his bed.

"If it's Chad, I've already told him three times I'm not in the mood to go out. Even if he bribes me with pizza first," he says, walking out of his room and stops.

Jensen is standing by the kitchen counter, which separates their kitchen from the living room area, opening a bottle of wine while Genevieve is getting glasses from the cupboard.

"Hey Jared," Jensen says, smiling at him.

"Hi." Jared clears his throat. "What's up?"

Jensen pops the cork out of the bottle and holds it up with a little grin.

"I thought it was time I properly introduced myself to my neighbors. And apologize for annoying them with my music once more."

"I told you, I really don't mind," Jared reminds him, smiling. "But I won't say no to wine."

"Damn right we won't," Genevieve agrees and places three glasses onto the counter.

"Oh, this is the start of a beautiful friendship," Jensen kids. He pours them wine and Genevieve picks up one of the glasses and holds it up.

"To us," she says. "May we never annoy each other and leave passive aggressive notes on each other's doors."

"Inside joke?" Jensen asks, toasting Genevieve and Jared.

"Her roommate freshman year liked to leave notes all over the dorm room," Jared explains with a little grin.

"Her favorite complaint was that I brought guys into our room," Genevieve says. "I tried to explain to her that Jared here is as gay as they come, but that didn't really make it any better. I spent way too many nights crashing in Jared's dorm room."

"Ah, the joys of living in dorms. I don't miss those times."

"Cheers to that," Jared agrees and Jensen gives him a small smile.

"So, Jensen," Genevieve says and hops onto one of the barstools by the counter. "What do you do?"

"I'm a physical therapist," Jensen says and sits down as well.

Genevieve smirks.

"So you're good with your hands then?" she asks. Jared almost chokes on his wine.

"Gen," he scolds.

"What? Curious minds want to know."

"Well," Jensen interrupts, "I never had any complaints, so… "

"From your patients or _partners_?" Genevieve prods, stressing the last word and waggling her eyebrows. Jared groans.

"You don't have to answer," he tells Jensen. "She doesn't know when to shut up. I've been trying to teach her some basic etiquette, but she's hopeless."

Jensen laughs.

"It's okay," he says. "And to answer your questions, from neither."

He winks at Genevieve, who gives him a dirty grin.

"Interesting," she replies and hums. "So, those partners. Guys or girls?"

"Genevieve! Stop interrogating him," Jared squeaks. Jensen snorts. Jared steals a couple of furtive glances at him, and just looking at him leaves him a little breathless.

"Guys," Jensen says, obviously ignoring Jared's protests. "Always guys."

"Hmm, too bad. For me," Genevieve says.

"Sorry, sweetheart," Jensen drawls and Genevieve sighs exaggeratedly.

"Story of my life," she says.

+

Splitting one bottle between the three of them doesn't take long. They make small talk about the neighborhood, Jared and Genevieve's classes, their jobs. It's nothing earth-shattering, but it's nice. Comfortable.

"We have some beer," Jared offers once they've finished off the wine.

"Or I could get another bottle. I still have a couple more of these in my apartment," Jensen offers, and Jared's stomach flutters a little, knowing Jensen isn't ready for the evening to end yet either. It's stupid, because he isn't interested in Jensen. Can't be. _Shouldn't_ be.

"That sounds good," he agrees.

Genevieve lets out a small yawn, and Jared is ninety percent sure it's fake.

"You guys have fun," she says. "I'm going to head into bed early. I have a couple of chapters to read for class and I'm super tired. It's been a long week."

"Oh. Well, I can just head over," Jensen starts, mentioning in the direction of his apartment.

"No, no, it's fine. Don't let me spoil your night," Genevieve says. "You two have fun."

"If you insist," Jensen says and meets Jared's eyes. "You still up for another glass or two?"

Jared knows he should say no. Nip this in the bud, if there even is anything to nip to begin with, but he finds himself nodding. "Sure."

"Great. I'll be right back," Jensen says.

Jared nods again.

"I'll see if I can find some snacks for us," he says, patting his stomach. He waits until Jensen has gotten up and left, telling Genevieve good night and giving her a quick hug, before he turns to look at Genevieve.

"You're not being subtle, you know."

"Who? Me?" Genevieve asks, then grins. "Hey, I'm just trying to help a pal out."

"I can get laid on own," Jared grumbles. "If I wanted to, which I don't."

"Oh come on, you think he's hot and you're smitten," Genevieve says. "Which is okay, because he's obviously attracted to you too."

"He's not."

"He kept looking and smiling at you," Genevieve points out. She puts her glass into the sink and then she rounds the counter and kisses Jared's cheek. "I'll go to bed, leave you guys alone."

"You know you really don't have to, right?" Jared stresses. Genevieve rolls her eyes.

"Have a good night, babe," she says. Jared sighs and lets her leave. Part of him is excited to spend some alone time with Jensen, but another part of him knows it isn't a good idea.

He gets up and roots through the cabinets over the sink where they keep snacks. He finds a bag of chips and some nut mix that Genevieve must have bought, and puts both onto the table in the living room.

"I'm back," Jensen says, stepping into the apartment with another bottle of wine in his hand.

"Great. I thought we'd move. The couch is more comfortable," Jared says, waving his hand at the snacks he put out. "Is the wine cold or do you want me to pop it into the freezer for a while?"

"It was in the fridge, so it's fine."

"Great. I'll get the bottle opener and our glasses," Jared says. His palms feel a little sweaty suddenly, nervous even though he knows this isn't a date. They're just hanging out.

He quickly gets the glasses and opener, and hands the latter to Jensen as he sits down. He watches Jensen open the bottle and pour them a glass.

"This is really nice," Jared says, picking up his glass by the stem. "The wine, I mean."

"It's one of my favorites," Jensen replies, nodding. "I'm a bit of a wine fan."

Jared wrinkles his nose and grins.

"I like pretty much anything. But I feel classier drinking wine than when I'm knocking back beers with, like, frat boys."

"Frat boys?"

"Well, almost frat boy. One of my best friends was gonna join, but then he decided being in a frat was _restrictive_ , but he acts like a frat boy for sure," Jared says. "At least the kind of frat boys you see in movies."

"Rowdy idiots who drink a lot?"

Jared cocks his head and nods.

"Yup, that sums Chad up perfectly."

Jensen laughs.

"Name fits, too. _Chad_."

"Right?" Jared asks and grins.

"I won't hold him against you, though," Jensen adds. "I have a few friends like that, too."

"So we can call it even?" Jared asks and smiles. "I won't judge you if you won't judge me?"

"Sounds like a deal," Jensen agrees and clinks his glass against Jared's in a toast.

+

The bottle is emptied just as quickly as the first, glasses refilled between conversations. Jensen is easy to talk to. It doesn't take them long to figure out that they have a lot it common—from their Texas roots to their upbringing and their interests now. It almost feels like Jared is talking to a friend he's known for years rather than a stranger, and he finds himself at ease with Jensen in a way he rarely has with people he just met. The only people he's ever felt that comfortable around that quickly were Chad and Genevieve, though Jared knows the wine is probably playing a role too.

By the time he refills their glasses one final time, emptying the bottle, Jared is feeling a little reluctant to call it a night. He's tempted to ask if Jensen has another bottle chilling, but he doesn't want to seem greedy or too eager. Nor does he want to get really drunk. He's already feeling a little light-headed, definitely tipsy enough to be loose and relaxed.

He takes only a small sip before lowering the glass again, hoping to savor the last bit of wine and draw the evening out a little.

"Don't do that," Jensen says, voice all smooth and soft.

Jared looks up and frowns.

"Do what?" he asks.

Jensen huffs out a small laugh.

"Look like someone ran over your puppy," he says. "Whatever you're thinking about, that look on your face isn't fair."

"Why's that?"

Jensen sucks in breath and puts his glass down.

"Because," he starts. "I'm having a really hard time not kissing you and you looking all down and disappointed makes it a whole lot harder, 'cause it really makes me want to do something to make you smile again."

The honesty of the words takes Jared by surprise and he splutters for a second, feeling his cheeks heat up. He twists the glass around between his fingers and bites down on his bottom lip.

"What if I said you could?" he finally asks. "Kiss me, I mean."

Jensen pauses.

"Are you sure?"

Jared puts his glass down and nods, turning his head a little to look straight at Jensen. He's had enough wine to feel brave, to not care about the fact that it's too soon and not a good idea and whatever he's told himself these last few days. Instead, he smiles.

"Why don't you try me" he suggests, his stomach fluttering in anticipation. He wants this, and in that moment he doesn't care about his doubts and worries. He wants to have fun, wants to feel good, and he really wants Jensen.

Jensen gives him an imploring look, then he cups Jared's face with one hand and leans in, bringing their mouth together. The kiss is slow, tentative almost, and so very good. Jensen tastes like sour wine and salty, spicy chips, and his lips are full and soft. Jared parts his lips under Jensen's easily with a soft sigh, shuddering when their tongues slide together.

Slow as the kiss is, it goes on for what feels like forever. Jensen's second hand comes up and he tangles his fingers in Jared's hair, guiding his face to change the angle, and Jared rests his own hands on Jensen's waist, fingers curling into the fabric of his soft jeans.

He doesn't try to take control of the kiss. He likes letting Jensen set the pace, likes surrendering to him and just letting himself be kissed.

Jared feels flushed and breathless by the time they part, Jensen placing a few short kisses onto his slack lips.

"Fuck," Jared murmurs and leans in further, chasing Jensen's lips, not ready for it to end yet.

"God," Jensen groans and presses their lips together in another brief kiss. "You're irresistible."

"Nobody's asking you to resist," Jared counters.

Jensen sighs, but his mouth is curved up in a soft smile.

"I want you. You have no idea how much I want you," he admits, rubbing his thumb over Jared's cheekbone. Jared can't help but lean into the touch. He's feeling buzzed, from the drinks and the kissing, arousal humming through his body.

He looks at Jensen through his lashes, watches the way Jensen's gaze roams over his face, stops on his lips.

"Jensen," he hushes, and Jensen kisses him again. This time it's deeper, dirtier, all previous hesitation gone. Jared sinks into it, his stomach fluttering in anticipation.

+

They stumble into Jared's bedroom, only breaking their kisses to pull off their clothes. Jared is down to his briefs by the time he tumbles onto his bed, and he watches through half-lidded eyes as Jensen stops and kicks off his shoes before unbuckling his belt and undoing his jeans. He pushes them down quickly along with his boxers, drawing a low moan from Jared.

The dim light of his bedside lamp is basking Jensen's body in a soft golden light, casting shadows onto his skin. Jared wishes he could take his time to take it all in, study every inch of Jensen's body, but his eyes are drawn to his cock. Jensen is big and fully hard, beautiful.

"Fuck," Jared murmurs.

Jensen grins at him.

"See something you like, gorgeous?"

Jared lifts his gaze, his cheeks flushed with heat.

"Yeah," he manages and his fingers are already fumbling with the waistband of his boxer-briefs, tugging them down eagerly. He watches Jensen's face as he gets naked, watches his eyes move lower, take Jared in.

Jared lets his legs fall open, licks his lips.

"Please," he murmurs.

Jensen kneels down between his legs, the mattress dipping, and smooths his hands up Jared's thighs.

"You're beautiful, sweetheart," he says softly and leans over him, kissing Jared as their bodies brush together. The kiss is brief, sweet, belying the thick, desperate tension that's been building up. Jared still can't help arching up into Jensen, wanting to feel his body against his.

Jensen pulls away.

"Tell me what you want," he says.

"Fuck me," Jared replies without hesitation. His stomach is clenching, his heart beating wildly in his chest. He doesn't need time to think about the question—since the moment Jensen kissed him Jared has known he wants this to happen; he wants to not think and just let go and feel good. He brings his arms up, dragging Jensen down onto him. "God, please, fuck me."

"Yeah. Yeah. Anything you want," Jensen replies and brings their mouths back together. He starts rocking down against Jared, their cocks sliding together between their stomachs, one hand buried in Jared's hair and the other on his hips. He kisses Jared, their bodies rubbing together, until Jared's head is spinning and he thinks he's going to come just like this.

It's like Jensen can read his mind though, because he pulls his lips away from Jared's and kisses a path down his jaw, sucking kisses and small bites down his throat. His second hand comes to rest on Jared's hips as well, holding him in place as he makes his way down Jared's body, and Jared lets out a small groan, wanting nothing more than to grind up against Jensen, get the friction he so desperately needs, and yet he loves this. Loves Jensen holding him down, setting the pace, exploring Jared's body with small licks and kisses and bites.

"Baby," Jensen murmurs, voice so soft Jared almost doesn't hear him, and then he closes his mouth around Jared's left nipple and tongues over it. Jared arches his back, digging his head back into the pillow and moans.

He's always been really responsive, something Stephen used to tease him about, but always with that underlying note of "you don't know how to be quiet, I can never take you anywhere". Jared mentally scolds himself for thinking about Stephen when he's in bed with another guy, an amazing guy who is making him feel great.

Jensen doesn't seem to be aware of his momentary distraction though. His hands are squeezing Jared's hips, mouth leaving a damp patch of kisses down Jared's sternum. He stops when he reaches Jared's cock, lifting his head and blowing air over the head teasingly. Jared gasps, the noise turning into a keen when Jensen ducks down and sucks the tip of Jared's dick into his mouth.

"Oh fuck. Oh _fuck_ ," Jared whimpers. His legs fall open wider and he groans when Jensen abandons his cock again after a few short moments.

"We need lube and a condom," Jensen says, and he sounds breathless. Jared looks down at him, taking in the flushed cheeks and pink, spit-damp lips. For a moment, Jared lets himself imagine what it would be like to have those lips wrapped around him, taking him all the way in, sucking him off until he came down Jensen's throat. Another time, he promises himself.

"Drawer," he says and twists, still caught in Jensen's hands, and fumbles with the drawer of his bedside table. He pulls the lube out and feels around blindly until he finds the condoms, pushed to the back of the drawer.

He drops both onto the bed as Jensen moves up on the mattress, lying down by Jared's side. He slides a leg between Jared's spread ones and Jared is already rolling onto his side, moving in closer, as Jensen palms his hip and pulls him in against him. His thigh his nudged up against Jared's balls and Jared can't help pressing down against it as Jensen kisses him softly, swallowing the soft moan Jared makes.

"Tell me if you want me to stop. Or slow down," Jensen murmurs, and he reaches behind Jared. Jared hears the snick of the bottle of lube being popped open and he slips his leg up high over Jensen, curving it around his hip.

"Not gonna happen," he says, and rocks forward, letting Jensen feel his hard cock rub against his own. Jensen falters, rocks against Jared with a small gasp, and Jared feels a small sense of smugness that he can break Jensen's focus that easily.

" _You_ ," Jensen murmurs, and pulls Jared into a kiss. They're wrapped up in each other, bodies sliding together as they kiss, and Jensen slips his tongue past Jared's lips, letting his tangle with Jared's. Jared wraps his arm around Jensen's neck and hums appreciatively.

He jumps a little when a slippery, cold finger slides between his cheeks, and Jensen makes soft, soothing sounds between kissing Jared. He rubs his finger over Jared's hole, sending little sparks of pleasure and anticipation down Jared's spine, and then he starts pushing in. He's taking it slow, like he's trying to gauge Jared's reaction, but it feels nothing short of amazing and _not nearly enough_.

Jensen pushes in and out a few times, and Jared mumbles, "More," into his mouth.

Jensen pulls back, kisses the corner of his mouth, his cheek.

"Patience," he hushes, but he presses a second finger in alongside the first. He pauses for a moment, and Jared pushes back impatiently until Jensen gets the hint. He fucks his fingers in and out, scissoring and twisting, and Jared moans and gasps with each new sensation.

The third finger burns a little, but it only makes Jared moan, eager for more.

"You're so hot," Jensen says. He twists his fingers inside Jared, rubbing up right against Jared's prostate and Jared only manages a broken moan in return.

"Like that?" Jensen breathes.

Jared digs his fingers into Jensen's neck.

"Just fuck me," he groans. "Please just fuck me already, Jensen."

Jensen kisses his cheek and pulls his fingers out. He pats Jared's ass.

"Roll over onto your knees for me," he coaxes. Jared untangles himself a little awkwardly and flips onto his stomach, pushing himself up into his knees, putting his head down onto his arms. Heat and nerves settle deep in his belly, and he breathes out slowly.

"Relax," Jensen says softly. Jared listens to the crinkle of the foil wrapper, and Jared looks over his shoulder, watching him roll the condom over his cock, thick and flushed red, the translucent latex clinging to him. Jensen adds a coat of slick before adding some more onto his fingers and reaching between Jared's legs, pushing into him smoothly and spreading the lube there.

"'m good," Jared assures him, letting his legs fall open around Jensen, body pliant and relaxed.

Jensen starts guiding himself in. Jared turns his head then, buries his face in his arms and breathes deeply as he feels Jensen nudge up against his hole. His body stays relaxed, even though his stomach is fluttering, and lets out a strangled noise as Jensen starts pushing in.

"Fuck. _Baby_ ," Jensen hisses, but his movements don't falter for a second. He slides in smoothly, all the way, until he's so deep Jared swears there's no space left inside of him. The stretch is just on the edge of painful, but the pleasure outweighs it, the feeling of fullness making Jared's head spin. Jensen is bigger than Stephen, thicker, and it feels so damn good. His balls feel tight already, his cock hard and heavy between his legs.

"You okay?" Jensen asks, voice rough.

"Oh fuck yes," Jared replies, drawing the last word out. He arches his back, pressing back into Jensen, silently begging for more, for Jensen to start fucking him.

Jensen grabs him by the hips and pulls out a few inches, then pushes back in. The drag of his cock inside of Jared feels amazing, and god, he's so big, so perfect.

"Yes," Jared moans, and Jensen moves again, thrusting in. He repeats the movement, only this time he drives into Jared harder, faster, burying himself deep inside Jared. He pushes right up against Jared's prostate and Jared cries out.

Jensen sets a steady rhythm then, fucking Jared with smooth, fast rolls of his hips, hitting Jared's prostrate on every other thrust in. Jared doesn't try to bite back the moans and gasps that fall from his mouth; sweat is gathered at the dip of his spine. The air in the room is feeling too hot and heavy, the bed shaking under them with the force of Jensen's thrusts.

It feels amazing. Pleasure is racing down Jared's spine, settling in Jared's stomach like hot molten lava. He feels like his skin is stretched too tight, and yet he feels complete, everything narrowing down to the pleasure and the feeling of being filled and Jensen. The soft groans and grunts he's making, the flex of his fingers on Jared's hips, the deep, perfect thrusts.

Jared holds on as long as he can, but then Jensen leans over him, slides one arm around Jared's chest and pulls him up against him. He places an open mouthed kiss to the juncture of Jared's neck, teeth grazing his skin, and ruts into him with sharp, small rolls of his hips.

"Oh holy fuck," Jared groans and comes in a rush, pleasure rolling over him in waves. His muscles are trembling, and he barely manages to hold himself up, Jensen's arms still supporting him.

Jensen fucks him through the orgasm, thrusting in desperately, and he comes with Jared's name on his lips, hot breath on Jared's neck.

They both collapse onto the mattress in a heap, hot skin sticking together with sweat. Jensen rolls them over, pulling out and pressing soft, sweet kisses to Jared's shoulder when he grumbles his protests.

"Trash can?" he asks, voice a little rough. Jared flips over so he's facing Jensen, wrapping his arms around him to tug him in closer.

"Just toss it aside," he grumbles, and Jensen chuckles.

"Okay," he agrees and then settles in. He brushes a kiss over Jared's forehead and Jared's eyes slide close.

+

The next morning starts off as the textbook definition of awkward.

Jared wakes up, mind fuzzy and a warm, hard body pressed up against him. He rubs a hand over his eyes, the events of the night coming back to him. There's a not too pleasant taste in his mouth that he always gets when he drinks. Jared shifts, feels sore in a way he doesn't mind, and he sighs.

"Morning," Jensen mumbles, and Jared startles a little.

"Morning," he replies, clearing his throat. He wishes Jensen had slept longer, had given him more time to think about what happened and how Jared wants to deal with it, what he wants to say.

Jensen yawns and rolls away, putting some space between them.

"How do you feel?" he asks, voice thick with sleep.

Jared blushes.

"Okay. Fine," he says, then adds sheepishly. "So..."

"So," Jensen repeats. "Last night, huh?"

"Yeah," Jared agrees with a short laugh.

"Regret it?" Jensen asks, and he doesn't sound upset. Jared turns his head to look at him and sighs, thinking about it.

"No," he decides. "Not really. I mean, last night was _great_."

"Yeah," Jensen agrees and Jared can't help but smile, feeling pleased.

"It's just… I just got out of a relationship. Stephen and I were together for years and well, you know it didn't end all that well," he says. "I just don't think I'm ready for something new."

"Hey, that's fine. We had some wine and hooked up; it doesn't have to mean anything more than that," Jensen says. "We can go back to being just neighbors. Friends maybe."

Jared bites down on his bottom lip, that idea not really sitting well with him either. He doesn't want a relationship, knows he's far from ready for one, but he doesn't want to completely let this go either. Jensen is an amazing guy, the kind of guy that's exactly Jared's type.

"Jared," Jensen prompts. "It's really fine. I'm not going to be mad."

"It's not that," Jared admits. "I like you. You're a great guy and last night really was amazing. I think it was just what I needed, you know? And I wouldn't mind if it happened again… "

He trails off, hoping Jensen gets what he's saying. Maybe Chad and Genevieve are right, maybe this is exactly what Jared needs: great sex with a hot guy, who can take his mind off the debacle with Stephen. And even if it's not, Jared doesn't think he can resist Jensen after the night they spent together. He wants more.

Jensen gives him a smile.

"I wouldn't mind that either," he agrees. "So, casual?"

"Yeah, if you're interested," Jared offers.

"Oh definitely," Jensen says and leans in, kissing Jared.

+

Jensen leaves after a mug of coffee. Jared walks him to the door, where he stands awkwardly, not sure how to say goodbye to the guy who is his new fuck-buddy as of less than an hour ago. Jensen seems to see right through him, because he grins and presses a quick kiss onto Jared's slack lips.

"See you around," he says. "You know where to find me if you want to."

"Yeah," Jared says stupidly. He closes the door behind Jensen.

+

"Dude, that's awesome," Chad says, popping a few peanuts into his mouth. They're at a bar, the one that's just a few blocks from Jared and Genevieve's apartment, which is really the only reason they hang out there a lot. It's not a very busy place and not a lot of college-aged people either, but the proximity to a place to crash for all three of them beats the alternatives.

Jared takes a swig of his beer.

"Yeah?" he asks. "I mean, he's our neighbor. It _could_ get really awkward."

Genevieve snorts.

"He's not a douchebag like some other guy I could name," she says pointedly. "He's really nice. And _so_ very attractive. How often do you get the chance to have lots of sweaty, dirty sex with guys that look like that?"

"Hey, my boy here could have lots of hot guys," Chad says, patting Jared on the shoulder.

"There's a very limited number of guys that are as hot as Jensen in this world, though. Very, very limited," Genevieve says. "Believe me. If he wasn't into guys, I'd be fighting Jared for him."

"Hey!" Jared protests. Genevieve grins and sticks out her tongue.

"I saw him first," she reminds him.

"Well, I saw his dick first," Jared counters.

"And I bet it's as glorious as the rest of him," Genevieve says dreamily. Jared ducks his face, heat spreading across his cheeks, and Genevieve cackles. "See, Jared? The guy is a once in a lifetime opportunity. You gotta sleep with him—for all of us."

"Not for me," Chad interjects.

"For you too, if you saw him," Genevieve says.

Chad looks like he's going to argue for a moment, but then he shrugs and lifts his glass, tipping it at Jared.

"Okay, you really have to keep banging this dude, Jared."

+

Jared doesn't see Jensen for a few days. Part of him is glad, because it gives him enough time to sort things out in his head and it feels more casual that way. Jared is pretty sure if he saw Jensen every day things would get tangled up pretty soon.

So despite the fact that Jensen is living right next door, Jared just keeps going on about his days as usual. He makes vague plans to maybe ask Jensen to hang out the next weekend, but he doesn't settle on anything definite.

Mid-week, though, Jared comes home from work and he's standing in the elevator, waiting for the doors to slide shut, when Jensen steps in at the last moment. He's dressed in khakis and a polo shirt, and Jared grins.

"Hey. Home from work?" he asks, looking Jensen up and down as the doors shut.

Jensen follows his gaze and then shrugs with a grin.

"Yeah. I wouldn't wear this if I didn't have to."

"You look great," Jared argues. Jensen raises an eyebrow at him, lips turned up.

"I do, huh?" he asks.

Jared flushes.

"You know what I mean," he says. "Stop fishing for compliments."

"Hey, I can't help it. If there's an opportunity for a hot guy to tell me I'm attractive, I'll take advantage of it."

"Oh, so I'm the hot one now?" Jared asks, deciding to play along. Jensen leans against the panel of the elevator.

"Baby, you've been the hot one from the get-go," he says.

"Oh shut up," Jared grumbles, but he's smiling widely. Jensen looks pleased, gaze never leaving Jared.

"So what about you? Did you just get back from classes?"

"Classes and then a couple of hours at work," Jared says. The elevator pings as it stops moving, the doors opening. Jensen waves at Jared to get out first and follows him. Their apartments are just down the hallway, and Jared stops outside his.

"So. Have a good remainder of the week," he says.

"You, too," Jensen replies. "And hey, if you don't have big plans for the weekend yet, let me know and maybe we can hang out?"

"Yeah?" Jared asks, a little too eagerly.

Jensen shrugs.

"Yeah, we could grab a beer somewhere and then see where the night takes us," he says.

"Sounds good," Jared says. "Saturday maybe?"

"Sure. Why don't you just come on over around eight?" Jensen suggests, and Jared nods.

"Yeah, great. I'll see you then?"

"See you, Jared," Jensen echoes, smiling in a way that makes Jared's knees a little weak. He knows exactly where Saturday night will lead and he knows Jensen knows too.

+

They have a couple of beers at a bar and if it wasn't for the fact that Jared is definitely very attracted to Jensen it would be just like hanging out with a friend. Jensen is easy to talk to, listening as Jared prattles on about college and work and his admiration for Jeffrey Dean Morgan. Jensen teases him a little for having a crush on the guy, which Jared steadfastly denies, because Jeffrey Dean Morgan is straight and taken and Jensen is hotter anyway—but he doesn't share that last bit of information with Jensen.

In turn, he tells Jared about some of his patients and co-workers.

After the second beer, Jensen suggests that they head back to his place, and as much as Jared has been enjoying hanging out he eagerly accepts.

Jensen sucks him off in the hallway of his apartment, pushing Jared against the wall as soon as the front door falls shut and getting down on his knees. Afterward, he fucks Jared on the couch, hard and fast.

Jared doesn't stay over and Jensen doesn't try to make him stay. It's just the kind of night Jared was hoping for.

+

They see each other pretty regularly after that. On Friday or Saturday they usually get a drink together or watch a movie, but no matter how the night starts it ends up at either of their apartments. Sometimes they see each other during the week too, when the mood strikes one of them.

Jared insists that they don't spend the night at each other's place though. He already likes Jensen, can easily see him becoming a friend, and he's worried that sharing a bed for more than sex will make it turn into even more. Jensen is cool with it, smiling and saying he understands when Jared first brings it up.

It's easy and Jared is having fun. He's rarely ever clicked with a guy as effortlessly as with Jensen and he sometimes finds himself wishing he'd met Jensen before Stephen, at a time where he was more emotionally available than he feels right now. Mostly he ignores those kind of thoughts and just goes with the flow though. It's nice, good, and Jared feels like he's slowly getting back into the groove of things and moving on—work, classes, his friends and Jensen keep him busy and he's doing good, starting to feel pretty happy with his life again.

He goes home for Christmas, lets his parents spoil him and his mama fatten him up with too much awesome food. The week he spends in Texas is the longest he's been apart from Jensen since they started hooking up and Jared finds himself missing him. He misses falling asleep to Jensen playing his guitar, their easy friendship, and most of all the sex. He's gone without sex for longer than that, even when he was in a relationship, but Jensen has a way of making Jared dizzy with pleasure, has him craving Jensen like he never craved anyone before.

So the second Jared is back in New York, he calls Jensen up and he's happy when Jensen asks him to come over without a moment of hesitation. Jared is being dragged into Jensen's apartment not two minutes later, Jensen kissing him hard and dirty, hands sliding over Jared's body, tugging at clothes. The first round is rushed, neither of them lasting long. The second round an hour later is slower, Jared riding Jensen almost lazily, still mellow from the first orgasm and taking his time to just enjoy the feeling of Jensen's cock inside of him.

It's pretty damn perfect.

+

Of course, that's when Stephen shows up and drags him back down again.

He's waiting for Jared off campus on a Friday, at the end of the first week of classes after the Christmas break. It's been weeks since Jared has last seen him, almost two months since they broke up, and despite the fact that he's been doing fine, the sight of his ex-boyfriend makes his heart squeeze painfully. He stops short, fingers wrapped tightly around the strap of his backpack.

Stephen sees him and smiles. Easy and relaxed, as if nothing ever happened.

"Hey Jay," he calls out as he strolls over, closing the distance between them. He's wearing a suit, perfectly tailored, hands pushed casually into the pockets.

"What the hell are you doing here?" Jared grits out.

"Thought we should talk," Stephen says with a smile. "I miss you, baby."

"Don't call me that," Jared snaps.

"Oh Jared, come on. Are you _still_ mad?" Stephen asks. "I know I messed up, but don't you think it's time we moved past that? I learned my lesson, it won't happen again."

"You _cheated_ on me, you dick. We're not going to move past that." The words come out loud, angry, and some people turn to look at them. Jared takes a deep breath, fingers clenching even harder around the strap of his backpack.

"It wasn't a big deal. The guy meant nothing to me."

"Oh, that makes me feel better. So you just hooked up with him for the hell of it?" Jared asks with a snort. When Stephen opens his mouth to reply, he sharply shakes his head. "Don't bother. I don't wanna hear what you have to say. We're done."

"Don't be ridiculous."

"I'm not. We've over. We've been over for two months now, Stephen, so why the hell are you even here now?" Jared asks, suddenly feeling tired. "Just go, okay? Leave me alone."

"I left you alone for long enough, Jared. Gave you some time to cool off," Stephen says calmly. "Don't you think it's time to talk about this like adults? I'm not saying I didn't make mistakes, but I think it's time we put it behind us."

"Well, I really don't." Jared sighs. "Look, Stephen. I don't need time. We haven't been taking a break or whatever it is you think these past few months have been. We're not going to make up and move on. I'm done with you. With us."

Stephen's posture gets a little less relaxed, shoulders tensing.

"You're just going to throw three years of a relationship away."

"Two and a half."

"Whatever. Are you really going to give up on us this easily? Did our relationship mean nothing to you?"

"You're the one who threw it away when you started sleeping with someone else," Jared reminds him and finally starts moving, brushing past Stephen on the away. Stephen makes a move to grab him, but Jared shakes him off.

"You weren't perfect either, Jared. Stop acting all high and mighty."

"I didn't cheat. I never would have," Jared counters.

"Well, maybe there's a reason I did. You ever think about that?" Stephen snaps. Jared laughs hollowly.

"Yeah. Okay. Goodbye," he mutters.

Stephen takes a few steps, following him.

"Come on, Jared. Baby, don't be that way," he pleads.

Jared shakes his head.

"I'm done talking to you. Done with you, period," he says. "Don't call. Don't come here again. Just leave me the hell alone. Find someone else, Stephen—you seem to be good at that."

He doesn't wait for Stephen to respond, just leaves him there and hopes that this time, finally, Stephen listened to what he had to say.

+

Genevieve isn't at home when Jared gets back to the apartment. He remembers her mentioning going to dinner and drinks with a few friends when he steps in and calls out her name, only to be met with silence.

Jared thinks about calling Chad or maybe his parents, but he isn't really in the mood to talk to them. All he really wants is for Genevieve to hug him and curl up on the couch with him, offer comfort without trying to fix him. She's good at that. Jared doesn't even really know why he's upset. He's been doing fine, hasn't really been thinking about Stephen these days, but seeing him, talking to him has dragged the old emotions back up. The hurt and the confusion and that feeling of not having been enough.

Jared makes himself a sandwich and takes it into his bedroom, curling up with his laptop. He watches a couple of old _Scrubs_ episodes, hoping it'll cheer him up, but he's too distracted to really pay attention. He keeps glancing at the little clock in the bottom corner of the screen, waiting for the time to pass, but it's still early and he doubts Genevieve will be home for hours.

His eyes start burning and he rubs them angrily.

"Fuck, you're not going to cry over this asshole again, Padalecki," he tells himself firmly.

He gets his cell from the nightstand. His mind not yet made up, he scrolls through his contacts. Chad. Gen. Jensen.

After a moment of hesitation, Jared opens WhatsApp and hits Jensen's name. ' _You around?_ ', he texts.

He stares at the message for a moment, willing Jensen to reply and then puts the phone down. He starts a new episodes of _Scrubs_. His eyes keep straying to his cell though, waiting, but he still flinches when his cell chirps and vibrates.

' _Yeah. What's up? Wanna hang out?_ '

Jared rolls his lower lip between his teeth, considers the offer for a moment. Finally he settles on replying with, ' _I don't think I'd be good company tonight._ '

' _You okay?_ ' Jensen replies.

' _Fine. Don't worry,_ ' Jared writes and then immediately adds, ' _Can you go outside and play a song?_ '

' _Which one?_ '

' _Surprise me,_ ' Jared answers. He puts his cell down and reaches for the window, pulling it open. He stops the DVD on his laptop and waits. Jensen doesn't text back, but after a minute Jared hears him step outside.

He pushes his laptop aside and lies down.

Jensen starts playing the a few chords, switching between a few melodies before settling on one. When he starts singing the lyrics to "Stranger", Jared smiles and his heart aches at the same time.

' _Sad. But I like it,_ ' he texts Jensen when the song ends. He hears Jensen's phone go off, pictures him reading his text. He doesn't reply, instead he starts playing a new song a few moments later, playing the opening chords of "The Weary Kind".

+

Jared is pouring cereal into a bowl when he hears a knock on the door. He goes to open it, cautious and a little anxious and yet hopeful.

"Please don't be Stephen," he whispers to himself, silently thinks, _Please be Jensen_. The thought comes out of nowhere, unasked for, and yet it makes Jared's heart beat a little faster.

He pulls the door open… and comes face to face with Jensen, who is standing there with his hands in the pockets of his washed-out jeans, smiling softly.

"Hey," Jensen says.

"Hey."

"I just wanted to come check on you. Make sure you're alright," Jensen says. "You had me a little worried yesterday."

Jared only hesitates for a moment, then he steps up and reaches for Jensen, pulling him in. He crashes their lips together. It starts out rough, desperate, but then the kiss slows down a little, Jensen's hand coming up to cradle his face.

"Jay," Jensen murmurs against his lips.

Jared tugs at his shirt, mumbles between kisses, "Wanna come in?"

Jensen chuckles against his mouth, but he lets himself be pulled into the apartment, led into Jared's bedroom. Jared's only wearing a pair of pajama bottoms and he pulls them off before getting on his bed, waiting for Jensen and watching him get undressed.

"You sure you don't wanna talk?" Jensen asks, before pulling his boxer-briefs down. "You okay?"

"I'm fine," Jared assures him and lets his legs fall open. Jensen's gaze slips lower then, and he gets onto the bed, crawling between Jared's legs.

It's slow, languid. It's not the first time that they take their time, drag things out and take it slow, but it still feels different. Jared's stomach is fluttering as Jensen's weight settles on top of him and Jensen kisses him, deep and lazy. His hands map out Jared's body, rocking them together.

He preps Jared carefully, fingers him open with slick fingers while he kisses the moans out of Jared's mouth. Then he pushes Jared's legs up, rolls a condom down his dick, and slides into Jared in one smooth, slow push, propped up on his arms and holding Jared's gaze steadily. Jared feels stretched wide, the fullness taking his breath away.

"God," Jensen murmurs, and leans down to kiss him again.

They move together, Jensen fucking him with drawn-out thrusts, and Jared wraps his arms around him and does his best to match his rhythm.

Between kisses, Jensen keeps breathing out his name, and _pretty_ and _so good_.

+

Afterward, they lie curled up together, Jared's head on Jensen's chest and Jensen stroking Jared's back lazily.

Jared feels boneless, body still humming with pleasure, his limbs loose and relaxed.

"Good?" Jensen murmurs.

"Yeah," Jared agrees, but then his stomach rumbles. Jensen laughs, the sound a little breathless still.

Jared blushes and rubs his cheek against Jensen's chest.

"Sorry. Haven't had breakfast yet."

Jensen presses a soft kiss to his forehead.

"How about we go get cleaned up and get dressed and I take you out for breakfast?" he suggests.

"Sounds nice," Jared agrees.

They shower together, and when they walk to a café a few blocks away from their apartment building, they walk close enough side by side that their arms and shoulders keep brushing together. It feels more like a date than any other time they've hung out so far.

+

"Not that one," Genevieve says. She's sitting cross-legged on Jared's bed, eating a yoghurt and watching him getting dressed.

Jared looks at the t-shirt in his hand and frowns.

"What's wrong with this one?"

"There's a hole at the collar."

Jared looks at the fabric more closely.

"Oh," he says and drops the shirt on the floor where it joins a heap of others. Most of them have been discarded by Jared for some reason or another, though Genevieve has vetoed a couple too.

Jared pulls out a button down, slips it on and looks at himself in the mirror while he does up the buttons. He's almost done when he pulls it back off again.

"I liked that one," Genevieve complains.

"Too fancy," Jared says, shaking his head. "We're just going to see a band play at a bar."

He pulls a new shirt out of the closet, white with a print on it, looks at it and then frowns.

"Not that one either?" Genevieve guesses.

"No," Jared simply mutters and tosses it aside. "I have absolutely nothing to wear."

"Jared," Genevieve says. "Wear the white one, the second or third you tried on."

Jared bends down and rummages around his shirts, pulling out the one he thinks Genevieve meant.

"This one?" he asks, nose wrinkled.

"Yeah."

"It's so plain," he says, looking down at the plain white shirt.

"It's nice. The white looks good with your tan and the shirt is tight enough to show off your muscles without being too tight," Genevieve reasons. Jared isn't a hundred percent convinced, but he puts it on and studies himself in the mirror. It doesn't look bad. Nothing special, but nice enough, and they are just going to a bar. The last thing Jared wants is to be totally overdressed.

"Fine," he says and smooths his hand down the fabric. He turns around to look at Genevieve. "You think I should wear cologne?"

Genevieve raises an eyebrow and grins.

"Honey, this isn't your first date."

Jared flushes.

"It's not a date."

"Uh-huh."

"It's not," Jared argues. "We're just friends."

"Jared. You sleep together."

"Friends with benefits," Jared amends.

Genevieve gives him an exasperated look.

"Right. You're crazy about each other. Have been for a while, but these last couple of weeks you've barely spent any time apart."

Jared knows it's true. Since that morning together, after the thing with Stephen, Jensen and he have been spending even more time together than before. And it's not always been about sex either. Sometimes they just hang out for a few hours, sometimes they make out while pretending to watch a movie without it ever leading anywhere.

"I'm just not ready," Jared says helplessly.

"Do you like him?" Genevieve asks plainly.

"Of course I do! He's great. He's more than great."

"Then stop letting what happened with Stephen ruin this for you. It's been almost three months—it's okay for you to move on and be with someone else," Genevieve says.

"You don't think it's too soon?" Jared asks.

Genevieve shrugs.

"Everyone is different. There's no timeframe for this kinda thing. If you want this, then that's all that matters," she says. "I think you're happy when you're with Jensen. Happier than you were with Stephen."

"He makes me laugh," Jared murmurs. "And he makes me feel special. Wanted."

Genevieve gets up and closes the distance between them, leaning up to kiss his cheek.

"Wear some cologne, babe. And don't you dare come back home tonight."

Jared ducks his head, smiling.

"I wasn't really planning on it," he admits. "Thanks, Gen. For everything."

"Any time."

+

It's a nice night.

There are a couple of bands playing and the music is good, the atmosphere at the bar relaxed.

They give up their table halfway through the set of the first band to go stand closer to the stage where quite a crowd has gathered, drinking and dancing and chatting. Jensen keeps an arm around Jared's waist, swaying their bodies to the music.

"You always know the best places to go for these kind of things," Jared says after the last song, angling his body around and wrapping an arm around Jensen's neck.

"Well, I'm kinda into music, in case you hadn't noticed."

"I had no idea," Jared says with a fake gasp.

Jensen grins and kisses his jaw.

"Sorry, I must have you confused with some other guy who keeps asking me to play music outside on my balcony."

"Are you sleeping with everyone in the building?" Jared teases.

"Oh yeah. It's convenient… a whole building full of potential hook-ups."

"And most of them are so old, they'll need physical therapy after a night with you."

"Win-win," Jensen jokes. His hand slides lower, palming Jared's hip.

"Gross," Jared replies. Jensen grins and tugs him closer, leaning up for a brief kiss.

"How about I get us another round of drinks and you save this spot for us?" he suggests and Jared nods. He hands Jensen his empty beer bottle, which he's been holding onto for the last couple of songs.

Jensen pushes his way past people and Jared watches him go with a small smile before forcing himself to turn around. The first band is already off the stage, the equipment still there, and two guys with guitars are settling onto two stools that have been dragged onto stage. He knows Jensen was looking forward to this act more than the first and Jared feels a little excited, wondering if their music will be anything like Jensen's.

At the thought Jared can't help but look back again, eyes searching the people at the bar for Jensen. He spots him squished between a group of girls and a guy with blond hair that's pulled back into a small bun. He's talking to Jensen and Jared feels a little twist in his stomach. The bar isn't strictly a gay bar but it's quite popular with the LGTBQ community and the crowd is pretty mixed. Judging by the way the guy is angling his body toward Jensen's, he's not just trying to have a friendly chat while getting a drink. Jared watches Jensen laugh at something the guy says, then shake his head. He turns, pointing in the direction Jared is standing and grins when their eyes meet. Jared smiles back and ducks his head, quickly turning back around, relieved to know Jensen isn't flirting with other guys while they're out. Which, technically he could since they're not a couple or even dating.

Jensen joins him again not much later and presses a cold beer into his hand before sliding his arm back around Jared.

"Made a new friend?" Jared asks, voice light.

Jensen hums, close enough that Jared can hear the sound. On stage, the two guys are starting to strum their guitars.

"Yeah. He was looking for a new _friend_ to explore the back alley with."

Jared's stomach twists a little and he pulls a face.

Jensen leans in and kisses the side of Jared's neck.

"Told him I already have a friend like that."

"Yeah?"

"Yeah. Old Mr. Newton from the apartment above mine. One of my favorites from our building," Jensen teases. Jared makes a gagging noise, not totally faked when an image of Mr. Newton comes to him.

Jensen laughs.

+

They go home after the second set, their fingers loosely intertwined while they wait for their cab outside.

"My place or yours?" Jensen asks when they get to their building, holding open the door for Jared.

"Well, mine comes with a roommate."

"Mine it is," Jensen agrees. He grabs Jared's hand again as they walk to the elevator.

Once in Jensen's apartment they head straight into the bedroom. Jensen pushes Jared onto the bed, grinning, and straddles him.

"Have I told you how goddamn hot you look tonight?" he asks, running his hand down Jared's arms. "I really like this shirt on you."

"Gen picked it out," Jared admits.

"I'll thank her the next time I see her," Jensen says and leans down to kiss him. Jared strains up, eager to meet his mouth. Jensen's hands slide under his shirt as they kiss, fingers trailing over skin and Jared shivers.

They make-out like that for what feels like hours, sharing unhurried kisses while getting undressed and touching. When they're down to their underwear, Jensen starts picking up a little speed. His kisses get dirty and he rocks down against Jared, their clothed erections pressing together. Jared arches up into it, hands firmly on Jensen's back, feeling the muscles move under his palms.

"So beautiful," Jensen murmurs, kissing a line down Jared's jaw to his throat. He keeps going, gentle bites and sucking kisses, and Jared moans and thrusts up harder against Jensen. It's not like the fervent, hot sex they usually have; instead it feels like a slow burn, a low pleasure coursing through his veins. And it's so damn good.

He lets his hands slide lower, grasping Jensen's ass. He feels it flex, hears Jensen moan lowly against his throat, and he thrusts up, urging Jensen on.

"Baby," Jensen says, breath warm against Jared's skin. Jared isn't sure why that's what pushes him over the edge, but he comes hard.

"Fuck," Jensen hisses. " _Fuck._ "

He lifts his head, pulls Jared into a messy kiss, and shudders through his own orgasm.

They're both panting, lying in a tangle of limbs. Jensen rolls off him, onto his side, and pulls Jared in close, kissing his forehead.

"God, that was hot."

"Yeah," Jared agrees breathlessly, then grimaces as he shifts, feeling the wet, sticky mess in his boxer-briefs. "The aftermath is kinda gross though."

Jensen laughs.

"Yeah," he agrees. His fingers trail down Jared's back. "I'll get a washcloth in a second."

Jared hums and fits his head in the crook of Jensen's neck, kissing his collarbone.

"No rush. I'm good."

There's a moment of silence, then Jensen cards the fingers of his free hand through Jared's hair.

"Good night?" he asks in a soft voice.

Jared grins.

"Best night I had in a long time."

Jensen tightens his arms around him.

"Same here," he says. "Doesn't have to end yet."

"No?"

"Well, you could stay the night," Jensen suggests quietly.

Jared's heart quite possibly skips a beat at the suggestion and he remembers Genevieve's advice from earlier that day. He nods.

"I could," he agrees.

+

The next morning, Jensen wakes him up with coffee and danishes from a bakery down the street.

Jared stretches under the sheets, feeling rested and content, and then slowly sits up and accepts the mug from Jensen. He blinks up at him sleepily.

"Thank you," he says. "Hmm, this is a really good morning-after treatment."

Jensen kisses Jared's naked shoulder, settling in beside him.

"The old folks from the building that I also like to hook up with seem to like it."

Jared nudges him with his elbow.

"You know, the more you bring this up the more I think you're not kidding.”

"Maybe I am, maybe I'm not," Jensen says with a smirk. "Maybe I like them old and you're just really not my usual type."

Jared scowls at him.

"Maybe I won't sleep with you again."

"In that case, I'm definitely kidding. No older men for me. Just young, hot ones."

The plural makes Jared's stomach twist.

"So, uh," he starts, feeling awkward. They've never talked about seeing other people, and Jared made it a point to keep things casual so he feels like a dick for wanting to ask about it.

"What?" Jensen prods.

"Are you seeing other guys?" Jared asks, not meeting Jensen's eyes.

"Jared," Jensen says, sounding a little wary.

"It's fine if you are. I'm not saying you shouldn't be," Jared quickly adds. "I'm the one who didn't want anything serious after all."

"Didn't want or doesn't want?" Jensen asks.

Jared shrugs.

"Which one would you prefer?"

"I wouldn't mind if we made this into a not-seeing-other-people-thing," Jensen says with a small smile. "Not that I have been anyway. But, you know."

"Make it official."

"Yeah."

"I'd like that."

Jensen smiles.

"Good. Me too," he says, then nudges him. "Now drink your coffee."

"Yes sir," Jared says, grinning to himself.

+

A week later, Jared is sprawled out on a chair on Jensen's balcony, drinking beer. Jensen has his guitar on his lap, just messing around.

It's been a stressful day, things having been crazy at work and having an assignment due that day which had kept Jared up half the night. This has been what he's been thinking about all day—going over to Jensen's at the end of the day, hang out and have a drink, and then go to bed early.

Jensen finally settles on a song, and he gives Jared a small smile before he starts singing the lyrics to "Running Kind".

It's the first time he's actually seen Jensen play, and he sits back and relaxes, humming along softly, listening to the words Jensen sings.

When the song ends, Jared tips his head back and looks up at the sky that's slowly turning dark.

"Don't break my heart," he whispers. The words come out of nowhere, but now that he thinks about it, it's a fear that's been hanging over him for a while now.

He chances a glance at Jensen and sees him frown. Jensen puts his guitar down and scoots his chair closer to Jared's.

"Why would you think I might?" he asks.

Jared shrugs.

Jensen sighs.

"Come here," he says and slides an arm around Jared, pulling him against him. It's not exactly comfortable, the arms of the chairs between them, digging into Jared's side, but he rests his head against Jensen's shoulder.

"I have no intention of breaking your heart," Jensen says, then he adds in a murmur, "I'm pretty crazy about you."

Jared smiles.

"I was trying really hard not to be crazy about you."

"Do I hear a but?" Jensen coaxes. Jared tips his head back.

"You're hard to resist, Jensen Ackles," he says. Jensen grins.

+

Epilogue

Jared tapes the last box shut, looking around the packed up apartment. There are boxes lining one side of the living room, bags with some odds and ends scattered around, furniture disassembled and stacked together.

He sighs and stretches, his back cracking. He looks over his shoulder at Genevieve, standing against the kitchen counter.

"Time to open this up, huh?" she asks and points at the bottle of wine sitting next to her.

Jared nods and goes to join her. He leans against the counter and watches Genevieve crack the bottle open, pouring some into two glasses that weren't packed for specifically this reason.

"So," Genevieve says and picks up her glass. "To the end of an era. And to us being college graduates with awesome futures ahead."

They toast and then Genevieve sits down on the floor, the only place still left to sit. Jared joins her.

Jared sniffs, "I'll miss this place. I'll miss living with you."

Genevieve snorts, "Babe. You're moving one apartment down the hall."

"Doesn't have you in it," Jared points out.

"No, it has Jensen in it, though," Genevieve replies.

Jared smiles at the mention of Jensen's name.

"Yeah, it does," he agrees softly.

"And you can bet your sweet ass that I'll hang around all the time anyway, so you guys will be sick of me soon enough. And you're welcome to stay with me if you ever feel like you need a break from Jensen."

Jared gives her a look. Genevieve grins.

"It could happen."

"Right."

"Okay, so probably not," Genevieve admits and knocks her shoulder against Jared's arm. "You're moving in with your boyfriend."

Jared grins.

"Yeah. Pretty crazy."

"But good. Right?"

"Definitely."

They finish their glass and Genevieve pours them a second when there's a knock.

"Door's open!" Jared hollers, knowing it's probably Jensen.

"Where are you guys?" Jensen calls out a moment later.

"Kitchen," Genevieve says loudly, and then grins when Jensen comes around the corner and gives them a weird look, mouth lifted up at the corners.

"You two finished packing?"

"Yeah. You here to help me lug boxes down to the van?" Genevieve asks.

"Yes," Jensen says and then looks pointedly at the bottle. "Also to make sure you don't get my boy drunk during the middle of the day."

"I'd never," Genevieve says with a gasp. Jensen gives her a knowing look, but he's grinning, and he gets down, sitting down with them. He steals a few sips from Jared's glass and before long the bottle is split between the three of them.

A couple of hours later, thanks to the help of a few more friends, Genevieve's things are safely stored in the van. Jared and Genevieve hug, and they're both crying a little bit even though Jensen softly reminds them that Genevieve is just moving across town.

Back in the apartment, just him and Jensen now, Jared looks at the remainder of his things. A lot of stuff is already at Jensen's, and all that's left are a few boxes and bags.

"When is Mrs. Smith picking up the keys?" Jensen asks, hugging him from behind.

"Not till the afternoon. She's babysitting her niece or something," Jared says distractedly and leans back into Jensen's embrace.

"So how about we take a little break before we get the rest of your stuff over to our apartment," Jensen suggests, kissing his neck.

 _Our_. The word makes Jared's heart flutter.

"What do you have in mind?" he asks and turns around, wrapping his arms around Jensen's neck.

Jensen palms his hips and starts walking them backwards. "One last time in your bedroom?" he suggests. "Place where it all started?"

"God, you're sentimental," Jared teases, ducking down to kiss Jensen softly.

"That a no?"

Jared grins.

"I stashed a condom and lube in the back pocket of my jeans earlier just in case," he admits. "One last time."

"And then I'll get to have you in my bed every single night," Jensen says with a smile.

"Our bed," Jared corrects, and Jensen's expression softens.

"Our bed," he agrees quietly.


End file.
